Beds with under bed drawers are worth considering if your bedroom lacks wall space for a large wardrobe or chest, if you store bulky items such as spare duvets and winter knitwear, or if you simply want the floor under the bed to stop collecting dust. They turn a hollow, unused void into organised storage that slides out when needed and disappears when it is not. For most UK bedrooms, where floor area is limited and every extra piece of furniture competes for space, that is a meaningful gain.
They are not right for every room, and the details matter. Drawer depth, runner quality, clearance in front of the bed and the type of mattress you use all affect how practical a drawer bed feels day to day. Our range of modern beds UK sale includes frames with side drawers, end drawers and combinations of both, so it helps to understand the differences before choosing.
A standard bed frame leaves a gap between the slats and the floor. In a frame on legs that gap is open, and most people end up filling it with vacuum bags or plastic boxes that are awkward to reach. A drawer bed closes that space in with a solid plinth and fits drawers into it, usually two on each side or one or two at the foot end.
The result is storage that sits in the footprint the bed already occupies. You are not adding a new piece of furniture to the room. You are making better use of one you already have. In a box room or a narrow double bedroom in a terraced house, that can be the difference between fitting a chest of drawers and doing without one.
It is worth looking at the whole of your bedroom furniture UK plan at the same time. Once a bed takes on a share of the storage, you may find you can choose a slimmer wardrobe or leave a corner free for a chair.
Drawers under a bed are lower and slightly less convenient than drawers at waist height, so they work best for items you reach for weekly or seasonally rather than every morning. Good candidates include:
Daily essentials such as underwear and socks are usually better kept in a bedside cabinet or a chest at standing height. Splitting storage this way keeps the drawers under the bed from becoming a jumbled catch all.
The position of the drawers is the single most important practical decision, and it depends almost entirely on your room layout.
Side drawers are the most common arrangement. They suit rooms where there is clear floor space along at least one long side of the bed. When open, a typical drawer projects somewhere between 40 and 60 cm, and you need room to stand or kneel in front of it. If one side of the bed sits against a wall, check that the drawers on the open side alone will give you enough storage.
Drawers at the foot of the bed suit rooms where both sides are tight, for instance where bedside cabinets sit close to the frame or a wardrobe runs along one wall. They need clear space at the foot instead, so they work less well if the end of the bed faces a door or a dressing table.
Some frames offer two side drawers and one end drawer, or four side drawers. These give the most capacity, but only if you can open all of them. Measure the room with the bed in its intended position before assuming every drawer will be usable.
A drawer bed needs more planning than a frame on legs because the drawers have to open fully. A simple way to check is to mark the bed footprint on the floor with masking tape, then mark a second line where the drawers will reach when open. Walk around the room and open the wardrobe and bedroom door to make sure nothing clashes.
Pay attention to radiators, skirting boards and floor level sockets. A radiator mounted low on the wall can stop a side drawer from opening fully, and a thick skirting board may push the frame further from the wall than you expect. If your bedroom door opens inwards, check its swing against the drawer line too.
Remember that the frame itself is larger than the mattress. A plinth with drawers usually adds a few centimetres on each side, and an upholstered headboard adds depth at the head end. Use the external dimensions from the product listing rather than the mattress size when you mark the floor.
Under bed drawers are used more than people expect, and they carry weight. A few details are worth checking closely.
A sealed plinth reduces airflow under the mattress compared with an open frame on legs. This is rarely a problem in a well ventilated room, but it is something to be aware of. Slatted bases with reasonable gaps help, and turning or rotating your mattress as the maker recommends keeps it fresh. Airing the room daily, even briefly in winter, makes a noticeable difference in older UK homes where condensation can build up.
If you are buying a new mattress at the same time, check the overall height. Drawer beds tend to sit a little higher than low frames, so a very deep mattress can raise the sleeping surface more than you expect.
Ottoman beds lift the whole mattress platform on gas struts to reveal one large storage well. They offer more total volume, and they suit rooms where there is no space on any side for drawers to open. The trade off is access. To reach anything, you need to lift the mattress, which means clearing pillows and throws first.
Drawer beds give you quicker access to smaller groups of items, and they let you keep different categories separate. If you want to reach the spare towels without disturbing a made bed, drawers are more convenient. If you want to store a folded guest bed, luggage and a winter duvet in one go, an ottoman may suit you better.
When the bed handles bulky storage, the furniture around it can work harder for everyday items. A pair of bedside cabinets keeps small essentials within reach, while a modern chest of drawers UK handles folded clothing at a comfortable height. Because the bed already holds bedding and seasonal items, the chest does not need to be as wide, which helps in narrow rooms.
Choosing bedside cabinets UK sale with a similar finish to the bed frame gives the room a calm, coordinated look. Upholstered drawer beds sit well alongside painted or wooden cabinets, while high gloss frames pair naturally with gloss or mirrored pieces.
If you are wondering whether a chest will still fit once the bed is in place, our piece on fitting a chest of drawers in a small UK bedroom walks through the measurements and layouts that work.
Drawer beds used to look heavy, but current designs are far more refined. Upholstered frames in soft weaves or velvet hide the drawers behind the same fabric as the headboard, so the storage is almost invisible. Wooden frames with flush drawer fronts give a cleaner, more architectural feel. High gloss frames reflect light, which can help a small or north facing room feel brighter.
Because the plinth reaches the floor, a drawer bed reads as a solid block. In a smaller room, a pale colour or a slim headboard keeps that block from dominating. In a larger room, a tall headboard and a deeper tone can anchor the space well.
Drawer beds tend to suit flat dwellers with limited built in storage, families with children who share rooms, guest bedrooms that double as storage, and anyone in a period property where alcoves and chimney breasts restrict where a wardrobe can go. They also suit people who prefer a tidy, closed look under the bed rather than visible boxes.
They suit less well where the bed must sit tight against walls on both sides and at the foot, or in rooms with very deep carpet where drawers can drag. In those cases, an ottoman or a frame on legs with separate storage nearby may be easier to live with.
If you are weighing up a larger drawer bed for a main bedroom, our guide to UK king size bed dimensions and room sizes sets out the frame and clearance measurements worth checking first.
A bed with drawers underneath is one of the simplest ways to add storage without adding clutter. The key is to match the drawer position to your room, check that each drawer can open fully, and look closely at runners and drawer bases. Get those right and the storage becomes part of the room rather than something you work around.
You can browse drawer beds alongside the rest of our bedroom ranges at Furniture in Fashion, where we offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes and Returns are available up to 30 days.
Allow for the full open depth of the drawer plus room to stand or kneel in front of it. In practice, many people find around 70 to 90 cm of clear floor beside or at the foot of the bed comfortable, although this varies by frame.
Yes, especially when the drawers run on metal runners attached to the frame. Drawers that rely on castors can work on carpet but may feel stiffer on a deep pile.
A closed plinth reduces airflow slightly. A slatted base, regular airing and rotating the mattress keep it fresh in most homes.
An ottoman usually holds more in total, while drawers give quicker access and better organisation. The right choice depends on what you store and how often you need it.
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